Opposed piston sleeve valve outboard motor



3 Sheets-Sheet l l a l2 Ja/m Smc/re IN VEN TOR Feb. 19, 1957 J. sTUcKE oPPosED PIsToN SLEEVE VALVE ouTEoAED MOTOR Filed June 4. 1954 Fig.

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oPPosEn PIsToN SLEEVE VALVE oUTBoARD MOTOR Filed J'une"4. 1954 J. STUCKE Feb. 19, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jo/m Sra/cke INVENToR.

Feb. 19, 1957 J. sTUcKE v 2,731,749

OPPOSED FISTON SLEEVE VALVE OUTBOARD MOTOR Filed June 4, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jo/m Sfuc/re INVENTOR.

BY aar/M fmt):-

OPPOSED PISTON SLEEVE VALVE, OUTBOARD MOTUR .iohn Stucke, Philadelphia, Pa. Application June 4, 1954, Serial No. 434,422 Claims. (Cl. 12B- 51) This invention relates to an opposed piston sleeve valve loutboard motor and specifically provides an improvement on my copending application Serial No. 377,869 led September 1, 1953.

An object of this invention is to provide an outboard motor having an opposed piston and rotating sleeve valve together with improved means for transmitting the power from the piston to a propeller mounted on a stub shaft for driving a boat.

Another object of this invention is to provide an outboard motor having opposed pistons with parallel spaced lcrankshafts and a rotating sleeve valve wherein the sleeve valve interconnects the crankshaft for synchronizing and transmitting the power to a single power shaft.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an opposed piston sleeve valve outboard motor which is compact in construction, has a high power output for a relatively small weight, efficient in operation, well adapted for its purposes and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the ac-' companying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a vertical longitudinal sectional View taken along a plane passing through the longitudinal center line of the opposed piston outboard motor;

Figure 2 is a top plan section taken substantially along sectionv line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing the details of construction of the cylinder and the plurality of circumferentially spaced openings therein'together with the rotating sleeve valve;

Figure 3 is a detailed, longitudinal vertical section taken substantially along section line 3 3 of Figure 2 showing the relationship of the apertures in the sleeve valve and4 the relation ofthe apertures to one of the openings in the cylinder;

Figure 4 is a top plan' detailed section taken substantially along section line fla-4' of Figure 1 showing the meansf for shifting the power' shafty and the means for engaging and disengaging with the drive gear;

Figure 5 is a perspective View' showing therotatable sleeve valve of the present invention;

Figure 6 is a schematic showing'of the relative position of the'cylinderand rotating sleeve with the No. 1- cylinder just passing the intake and ready for compression andv the No. 2- cylinder approaching-,the exhaust stroke;

Figure 7y isa schematic showing similar to Figure 6 showing the No. 1 piston on-compression and ready for ignition by the spark and the-No. 2 piston'has passed the exhaust and is about to intake a fresh chargev of comb'us tible gases;v

Figure 8 is a' schematic view similar to'Figure`7 showingthe No.1 piston approaching-the exhaust of the burntgasesA and the4 No. 2y piston pasti theintakeand onl` the compression stroke; e and:

t L nire States i arent j hice Figure 9 shows the No. 1 piston about to intake a fresh charge and the No. 2 piston on compression.

Referring now specifically to Figure 1 of the drawings; it will be seen that the numeral 10 generally designates the opposed piston sleeve valve outboard motor of the present invention including a generally vertically disposed housing 12 having a central portion forming a cylinder jacket 14 that is cored out for providing a water jacket 16 about the cylinder 18. A pair of vertically spaced crankshafts 20 and 22 are journaled in opposite ends of the housing 12 by suitable bearings 24. The crankshaft's 29 are provided with suitable counterweights 26 and an' eccentric crank for pivotally receiving a connecting rod 23. The connecting rods 28 are pivotally secured within a piston 30 and it will be seen that each of the connecting rods 28 is provided with a piston `30 and the pistons 36 reciprocate within a rotating valve sleeve`32 positioned in the cylinder 18. A suitable liner 34 may be provided between the rotating valve sleeve 32 and the cylinder 18 thereby providing a bearing area for the rotating sleeve'l valve 32. A transversely disposed dividing plate 36 is provided centrally of the sleeve valve 32 for a purpose described hereinafter. y Referring now specifically to Figure 5, it will bevsee'n that the sleeve valve 32 is provided with a ring gear 40 on one end thereof and a ring gear 42 on the other end thereof with the ring gear 42 being detachable therefrom by .theuse of a suitable setscrewy 44. Also, it will be seen that the sleeve valve 32 is provided with al pair of diametrically opposed polygonal apertures 46 and 48 thatare positioned on opposite sides of the transverse dividing plate 36 for a purpose described hereinafter.

The crankshafts 20and 22 are each provided on oneV end thereof with a bevel gear 50 and 52 respectively with the bevel gear 50 being in meshing engagement with a bevel gear 54 secured on a lay shaft 56 which is journale'd` shaft 22 is in meshing engagement with a bevel gear 66` journaled ony the layvshaft 56 and the bevelA gear 6,6' is integrally providedwith a spur gear 68 for driving' an idler gear 70 which is in meshing engagement with the ring gear 4Gl on the other end of the sleeve valve 32' wherein the motion of the crank shafts 20 and' 22 is synchronized and theA power is all transmittted to thesingle crankshaft 22, A power output shaft 72 is s'lida'e bly`positioned in a bevel gear 74 that is mounted yin'a suitable bearing 76 in a portion of* thehousing12 and also in a bevel gear 73 mounted in a bearing 80 in a detachable housing 82. The outer remote endy of the power output shaft 72 is splined as indicated by the numeral 84 for sliding engagement and driving engagementf The bevel gear 78 is inmesh# with the bevel gear l7S. ing engagementy with a bevel gear 86 on a stub' shaft 88' which in turn drives a suitable propeller (not shown). The power output shaft 72 is provided with'an elongated shifting lever 90 pivotally mounted on the casingor nous# ing 12 by suitable pivot pin 92 and extending through' an aperture 94'adjacent the pin 92. The inner end of the lever 90 is generally U-shaped as indicated: by the nu'- meral 96 and is slidably engaged in a circumferential groove 98 formed by a pair of rigid peripheralprojecting ribs 100. The projecting ribs are yeach provided with outwardly extending lugs 102 withrthe lugs'1tl2"eX"- tending on oppositeA sides of theribs 190. The innr'end' of theI power voutput shaft 72 is provided with a reduced a portion104 for sliding and rotating engagement with a socket 106 in the end of the lay shaft 56 wherein the power shaft 72 and the lay shaft 56 will be longitudinally aligned and the peripheral ribs 100 and the projecting lugs 102 thereon will be in alignment with the facing bevel gears 74 and 76. It will be seen that the bevel gear 74 is in meshing engagement with the bevel gear 52 on the crankshaft 22 as is the bevel gear 66 which is journaled on the lay shaft 56. The facing portions of the bevel gears 66 and '74 are provided with recesses 108 for receiving the lugs 102. By shifting the lever 90, the shaft 72 may be moved longitudinally thereby selectively engaging the lugs 102 with the recesses 108 thereby driving the power output shaft 72 in opposite directions. Obviously, the lever 90 may be positioned in a neutral position substantially as shown in Figure l wherein the lugs 102 are not engaged with the recesses 108 thereby permitting the bevel gears 66 and 74 to idle on the lay shaft 56 and the power shaft 72 respectively.

It will be seen that a substantially U-shaped clamp 110 having suitable clamp screw 112 in one leg thereof is provided for securing the outboard motor 10 to the stern board 114 of a suitable small boat. A mounting bracket 116 is pivotally secured to the U-shaped clamp 110 by suitable pivot pin 118 which is disposed substantially in a horizontal position wherein the outboard motor 10 may be adjusted about a horizontal axis. The inner end of the mounting bracket 116 is provided with a pair of ring members 120 for positioning around the lay shaft 56 and engaging the inner edges of the bearing members S8 thereby providing an adjustment of the outboard motor 10 about a vertical axis formed by the longitudinal axis of the lay shaft 56.

Referring now specifically to Figure 2 of the drawings, it will be seen that the housing 12 is longitudinally split along a longitudinal center line and is secured in assembled relation by a pair of lugs 122 with a suitable fastening bolt 124 extending therethrough along each longitudinal edge of the housing 12. The central portion of the housing 12 indicated by the numeral 14 and the cylinder 13 are provided with three circumferentially spaced passageways indicated by the numerals 126, 128 and 130. The passageway indicated by the numeral 126 is provided for a spark plug and passageway 128 is an exhaust passage and the passageway 130 is an intake passage. It will be seen that each of the passageways 126, 128 and 130 are large enough to communicate with both of the apertures 46 and 48 in the rotating sleeve valve 32 thereby providing a complete cycle of intake, compression, ignition, expansion and exhausting necessary for the operation of the internal combustion engine. It will be seen that the spark plug opening 126 is located substantially 135 from each of the other openings 128 and 130. Obviously, the exhaust passage 128 is located 90 from the inlet passage 130. inasmuch as one of the openings 46 in the tubular sleeve 32 is diametrically opposite from the other opening 48, the pistons 30 will have varying forces acting upon them simultaneously.

Referring now specifically to Figure 6-9 where several schematic diagrams show the direction of rotation of the sleeve 32 and the relation of the apertures 46 and 48 in the sleeve 32. For explanation, the lower piston will be indicated as the No. 1 piston and the upper piston will be designated as the No. 2 piston. As shown in Figure 6, the No. 1 piston has its corresponding aperture 46 past the inlet opening and beginning its compression stroke. The No. 2 piston has passed the ignition and expansion phase and is about to exhaust through the opening 128. As shown in Figure 7, the sleeve has continued in rotation and the No. 1 piston has about finished its compression stroke and is ready for ignition and the No. 2 piston has completed its exhaust stroke and is about to start its intake. In Figure 8, the No. 2 piston is about to start its compression and the No. l piston` is about to exhaust through the exhaust opening 128. In Figure 9, No. 2

piston has compressed and started combustion while the No. l piston is about to intake through the passage 130. From the condition shown in .Figure 9, the opening 48 continues around and communicates with the exhaust passage 128 and a complete cycle has now been completed and is ready for subsequent similar cycles.

In operation, the power is transmitted from the pistons 30 through the crank shafts 2i) and 22 and the power from the crankshaft 20 is transmitted to the crankshaft 22 through the bevel gear 54, spur gear 60, idler gear 62, ring gear 4Z, sleeve valve 32, ring gear 40, idler gear 70, pinion gear 68, bevel gear 66 and bevel gear 52. Suitable accessories may be engaged with the crankshafts 20 and 22 or lay shaft 56 for driving the necessary accessories such as water pumps, oil pumps, magnetos, starting pulleys or the like. The outboard motor 10 may be shifted from forward to neutral and reverse by manipulating the lever wherein the power output shaft 72 may be moved longitudinally through the gear 74 which idles on the shaft 72 and the gear 78 which is keyed thereto by the splines 84. By moving the shaft 72 upwardly, the upper lugs 102 engage with the upper recesses 108 and the bevel gear 66 thereby driving the shaft 72 in one direction, when the ribs are in their central position substantially as illustrated in Figure l, the device is in neutral and when the shaft is moved downwardly,the lower lugs 102 are engaged with the lower recesses 103 in the bevel gear 74 thereby transmitting the power to the output shaft 72 in a reverse direction due to the spacing relation of the bevel gears 66 and 74 that are in meshing engagement with the bevel gear 62 secured to the crankshaft 22. Obviously, suitable materials may be utilized throughout the device where required and all bearings and clearances will be in accordance with accepted manufacturing procedures.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of therdevice will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

l. An outboard motor comprising a housing, a pair of parallel spaced crankshafts rotatably journaled in said housing, a cylinder disposed between said crankshafts, reciprocating opposed pistons slidable in said cylinder and operatively connected to said crankshafts, a tubular sleeve valve rotatable in said cylinder, and means interconnecting each end of the valve and the crankshafts for transmitting the power from one crankshaft to the other for simultaneous rotation of the crankshafts and rotation of the sleeve valve.

2. An outboard motor comprising a housing, a pair of parallel spaced crankshafts rotatably journaled in said housing, a cylinder disposed between said crankshafts, reciprocating opposed pistons slidable in said cylinder and operatively connected to said crankshafts, a tubular sleeve valve rotatable insaid cylinder, and means interconnecting each end of the valve and the crankshafts for transmitting the power from one crankshaft to the other, a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings in said housing and cylinder, and a pair of oppositely disposed openings in said sleeve valve for selectively registry with the openings in the cylinder thereby providing intake, ignition and exhaust openings.

3. An outboard motor comprising a housing, a pair of parallel spaced crankshafts rotatably journaled in said housing, a cylinder disposedbetween said crankshafts, reciprocating opposed pistons slidable in said cylinder and operatively connected to said crankshafts, a tubular sleeve valve rotatable in said cylinder, and means interconnecting each end of the valve and the crankshafts for transmitting the power from one crankshaft to the other, said interconnecting means including a lay shaft extending between the crankshafts, meshed bevel gears on each end of the lay shaft and on one end of each crankshaft, each of the bevel gears rotatably journaled on said lay shaft and having a spur gear integrally formed therewith, a ring gear on each end of said sleeve valve, a pair of idler gears rotatably supported on said housing, each one of said idler gears meshed with one of said spur gears and one of said ring gears whereby the crankshafts will be simultaneously rotated and the sleeve valve will rotate in timed relation to the reciprocation of the pistons.

4. An outboard motor comprising a housing, a pair of parallel spaced crankshafts rotatably journaled in said housing, a cylinder disposed between said crankshafts, reciprocating opposed pistons slidable in said cylinder and operatively connected to said crankshafts, a tubular sleeve valve rotatable in said cylinder, and means interconnecting each end of the valve and the crankshafts for transmitting the power from one crankshaft to the other, said interconnecting means including a lay shaft extending between the crankshafts, meshed bevel gears on each end of the lay shaft and on one end of each crankshaft, each of the bevel gears notatably journaled on said lay shaft and having a spur gear integrally formed therewith, a ring gear on each end lof said sleeve valve, a pair of idler gears rotatably supported on said housing, each one of said idler gears meshed with one of said spur gears and one of said ring gears, a transverse plate provided in said sleeve Valve with apertures disposed on opposite sides thereof, said apertures being diametrically opposed for selective communication With apertures in said housing.

5. An outboard motor comprising a housing, a pair of parallel spaced crankshafts rotatably journaled in said housing, a cylinder disposed between said crankshafts, reciprocating opposed pistons slidable in said cylinder and operatively connected to said crankshafts, a tubular sleeve valve rotatable in said cylinder, and means interconnecting each end of the valve and the crankshafts for transmitting the power from one crankshaft to the other, a central plate in said sleeve valve, and common ignition means for igniting a fuel mixture on both sides of said plate.

6. An outboard motor comprising a housing, a pair of spaced parallel crankshafts journaled in said housing, a cylinder disposed between said crankshafts, a pair of slidable pistons disposed in said cylinder and operatively connected to said crankshafts, a sleeve valve rotatably mounted in said cylinder, means interconnecting each end of the valve and the crankshafts for interconnecting the crankshafts for simultaneous rotation, said sleeve valve having openings therein for selective registry with openings in the cylinder whereby the interconnecting means will rotate the valve for sequential timed intake ignition and exhaust.

7. An outboard motor comprising a cylinder, a pair of spaced parallel crankshafts at the ends of said cylinder, a pair of opposed pistons movably positioned within said cylinder and operatively connected to said crankshafts, a sleeve valve in said cylinder, means dividing the cylinder into two compartments, said interconnecting means timing said sleeve valve for alternating power strokes of said pistons.

8. An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder, a crankshaft disposed at each end of said cylinder extending transversely thereof in spaced parallel relation, a pair of opposed pistons movably positioned in said cylinder and operatively connected to said crankshafts, a rotary sleeve valve disposed in said cylinder, said sleeve valve having opposite ends thereof operatively connected to the crankshafts for rotation of the crankshafts and the sleeve valve in timed relation whereby the crankshaft will rotate at the same rotational speed.

9. A rotary sleeve valve for use in an opposed piston internal combustion engine comprising an elongated sleeve for reciprocably receiving the opposed pistons, a centrally disposed plate in said sleeve for dividing the sleeve into compartments, said sleeve having a pair of diametrically opposed apertures, said apertures being disposed on opposite sides of said plate for selective communication with intake, ignition, and exhaust means whereby the same intake, ignition and exhaust means is employed for both compartments.

10. An outboard motor comprising a housing, a pair of parallel spaced crankshafts rotatably journaled in said housing, a cylinder disposed between said crankshafts, reciprocating opposed pistons slidable in said cylinder and operatively connected to said crankshafts, a tubular sleeve valve rotatable in said cylinder, and means interconnecting each end of the Valve and the crankshafts for transmitting the power from one crankshaft to the other, a central plate in said sleeve valve, and common ignition means for igniting a fuel mixture on both sides of said plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,241,199 Crompton Sept. 25, 1917 1,308,400 DAix July 1, 1919 1,330,842 Buchner Feb. 17, 1920 1,576,549 Riegels Mar. 16, 1926 1,707,897 Bizet Apr. 2, 1929 

